The endurance of the “gay rights!” Twitter meme gives me simple, unadulterated joy that I can’t fully explain. I was struck in a much more superficial way by a video released by Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live YouTube channel: a seriously chaotic compilation of stars, Bravolebs and anyone else who wanted to participate like Amy Sedaris, Dua Lipa, Dwayne Wade and Hillary Clinton wishing all us queers a happy Pride.Īmong the many highlights, for me, was RHOBH star Denise Richards (who is currently embroiled in steamy rumors of an affair with Brandi Glanville) proclaiming “gay rights!” while standing in front of a rainbow flag backdrop with her daughter, and holding her dog. Now, get ready for a really lousy transition. It’s inspiring to see Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community stepping up and continuing to reject the status quo in this historic moment. Our community doesn’t have a strong track record on inclusivity, and it’s long past time for a reckoning. A flag is just a piece of fabric, of course, but it’s a start.) (Sidebar: I’m confident that some progress, too, is even coming in our little ‘burb, as a result of some of the broader conversations that are just beginning to take place around diversity and inclusion in response to the protest movement: Batavia City Hall will likely don a rainbow pride flag next June for the first time ever, thanks to a push from my alderman.
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Meanwhile, Slo ‘Mo, OTV, Reunion Chicago and others joined forces for the three-day # 4theQulture virtual festival in a celebration that centered Black joy in the most beautiful way. Locally this was evidenced by the incredible work of the Chicago Black Drag Council and the well-deserved pushback against an ultimately-canceled Pride protest purportedly on behalf of Black trans women that was, however, not led or organized by any Black trans women. The ongoing protests in response to a police officer’s murder of George Floyd has prompted important questions within the queer community, too. This Pride Month felt different for another reason though. (Honestly, it may have been my favorite Pride in recent memory?)
![big gay meme fairy god mother big gay meme fairy god mother](https://i.imgflip.com/3dmwh1.jpg)
![big gay meme fairy god mother big gay meme fairy god mother](http://www.quickmeme.com/img/b5/b53ca01e48f6c87e4cc8dffb469774f7fc23b7dffb25e3b08fdc9f3d28e96c13.jpg)
No parades, no backyard parties, just a Zoom link, a YouTube playlist and a handful of friends around the country dancing in front of our cameras, testing the stamina of our aging ankles and our dwindling tolerance for alcohol and staying up past midnight. 2020 was a strange Pride Month for certain.